Comedian Paula Poundstone is set to take the stage at the Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall in Munhall next Friday, September 25, for an all-ages show that leans as much on spontaneous crowd banter as it does on prepared material. Doors open at 7 p.m. with the performance beginning at 8 p.m., and the venue seats 1,045 guests.
The show is presented by 90.5 WESA and Drusky Entertainment, according to a listing from steelvalleyaccelerator.com. Audience members seated close to the stage may find themselves pulled directly into the conversation, a signature element of Poundstone's act, as reported by TribLIVE. Poundstone has said her favorite part of the night is talking to the audience, and she often shapes the performance around the biographies of the people sitting in front of her.
Four Decades of Thinking on Her Feet
Per TribLIVE's reporting, Poundstone has honed her ability to think on her feet for more than four decades, starting in comedy in the late 1970s and performing open mic nights in Boston at age 19. She began her career in what TribLIVE describes as a misogynistic atmosphere.
Her act is largely autobiographical, according to the same TribLIVE report, along with lighter fare like caring for a house full of animals. Along the way, Poundstone has created award-winning comedy specials and built a resume that includes stints as a commentator on late-night shows and a correspondent for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno during the 1992 presidential election.
From Emmys Backstage to NPR Airwaves
Poundstone also provided live coverage of the 1993 Emmy Awards, using her own stage manager to signal her during the backstage segments, TribLIVE reports. She briefly hosted her own variety show as well. These days, she regularly appears on NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! Poundstone does not prepare jokes ahead of her appearances on the show, according to TribLIVE, leaning on the same off-the-cuff instincts she brings to her stand-up.
She hosts her own podcast, Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone, and maintains an active TikTok account. Poundstone has also posted jokes on Twitter over the years and told TribLIVE she misses the platform's early heyday, before it became X.
Tickets and Venue Details
Tickets for the September 25 show are available through librarymusichall.com, per TribLIVE. The event listing on steelvalleyaccelerator.com notes that all tickets are subject to a day-of-show price change and directs readers to librarymusichall.com for further information on the performance.
